DIVISION PREVIEW

It’s not a stretch to say the Rams were a play away from winning the NFC — and possibly the Super Bowl — last season. And maybe they were one player away, especially if that player has been the most dominant defensive force in the NFL in recent years. Los Angeles pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns on June 1 and acquired Myles Garrett, a seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end who set the league’s single-season sack record with 23 last season. The Rams are hoping the deal means deja vu. During the 2021 offseason, the team traded with Detroit for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl win in Los Angeles. After this season, Super Bowl LXI will again be staged at SoFi Stadium.

While the hype surrounding the Rams is real, their road to redemption goes through Seattle. The rivals locked horns for two classic games last season and the Seahawks won a pair of thrillers on their home field — 38-37 in overtime in Week 16 and 31-27 in the NFC title game. Stafford came up a play short each time, and the Seattle defense went on to suffocate the Patriots in a Super Bowl blowout. Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold’s first season in Seattle, which was the second season for coach Mike Macdonald, had a storybook ending.

It’s also no stretch to tout the NFC West as the strongest division in the NFL. The division has produced two of the past five Super Bowl winners, and San Francisco lost a Super Bowl in overtime in the middle of that Seahawks-Rams championship sandwich. ESPN’s Football Power Index for this season ranks the Rams No. 1, Seahawks No. 4 and 49ers No. 5, and most handicappers’ power ratings will look similar. The Seahawks (14-3), Rams and 49ers (both 12-5) combined to win 38 regular-season games. Of course, every division has a basement and the Arizona Cardinals still will be cellar dwellers.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Rams coach Sean McVay should be flattered that so many NFL teams seem to be seeking a head coach like him or one who worked as an assistant under him. The latest McVay protege to land a top job is Mike LaFleur, who was hired by the Cardinals after serving as Rams offensive coordinator from 2023 to 2025. LaFleur had previously worked under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, so he should be prepared for a job that is among the league’s least desired. The Cardinals concluded last season on a nine-game losing streak to finish 3-14.

The quarterback depth chart is a disaster, but the positive aspect for LaFleur is he’s starting from scratch and building his own team. It actually would benefit Arizona to be bad again this year and get a high pick in next year’s draft that is loaded with quarterback prospects. The truth is the Cardinals have no choice but to be bad.

Three Burning Questions for the 2026 Season

The Kyler Murray era has ended, probably for the better, and Arizona is moving on. But moving on to what? Jacoby Brissett held out for a reworked contract before reporting to minicamp in early June. Brissett, 33, had a 1-11 record as the starter after replacing the injured Murray in Week 6. It’s not fair to pin the poor record on Brissett because he didn’t have the support of a potent running attack and the Cardinals were woeful defensively. Brissett put up impressive numbers by passing for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns with eight interceptions – most teams would take those numbers from their QB. But what’s the point of paying and playing a veteran who’s not part of the future plans?

Arizona goes to training camp with Gardner Minshew as the backup and rookie Carson Beck, a third-round pick from the Miami Hurricanes, as the No. 3. It was reported that LaFleur wanted to draft Ty Simpson from Alabama, but McVay and the Rams took Simpson in the first round before the Cardinals could take their shot. Beck will get the call to start at some point this season, and he probably should get it before the end of October. The Cardinals and Browns have the worst quarterback carousels in the league. It can’t be called a controversy if there are no great options on the depth chart. Is Brendan Sorsby from Texas Tech an option in the supplemental draft?

Is Love in the air or will he hit the ground running?

When you have a below-average offensive line, is it wise to draft a running back in the top 10? No. However, former Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is a special talent and the Cardinals decided they couldn’t pass on him with the No. 3 overall pick. The No. 1 running back spot is not truly up in the air because it belongs to Love, who will be backed up by Tyler Allgeier. Arizona could have gone another route and drafted an offensive lineman or a receiver to line up opposite of Marvin Harrison Jr., but that’s an old debate. Love should top 1,000 yards rushing if he stays healthy. In 2025, the Raiders drafted running back Ashton Jeanty sixth overall and he mustered only 975 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games behind a bad line. Love is more talented than Jeanty and should eventually become one of the league’s top runners.

Will there be a ‘D’ in Arizona?

The Cardinals were embarrassingly weak defensively during their nine-game losing streak to finish the season. Arizona allowed 35.2 PPG, which ranked last in the league, in those nine games. It’s not a unit without talent. Veteran linebacker Josh Sweat (12 sacks), safety Budda Baker (team-high 120 tackles) and corner Denzel Burke (three interceptions) return.

Cardinals Win Total Pick – Under 4.5

Aside from home games against the Jets and Raiders in late December, the Cardinals can’t circle any other games on the schedule as likely wins. The first 13 games are torture. Arizona went 0-6 in division play last year and seems likely to go winless again. The price to bet Under 4.5 wins is high (-190), but you don’t pay the juice on a winning bet. Five teams, including the Cardinals, finished with four or fewer wins last season.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

Everyone wants to feel loved, but popular teams in the NFL betting sphere are generally teams you don’t want to love. After the 2025 draft, the Rams were somewhat of a sleeper team getting Super Bowl odds in the 30-1 range. A year later, no one is sleeping on this team. The Rams are the consensus title favorites, priced at +520 at Circa Sports and +550 at DraftKings, and all other contenders are listed at odds of 10-1 and higher.

The Rams appear to have it all. Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford was last season’s MVP, Myles Garrett was the league’s defensive player of the year and Sean McVay is always in the debate about the league’s best coach. It’s nice to be voted the homecoming king, but what looks great on paper is never easy to deliver in the NFL.

Three Burning Questions for the 2026 Season

Is the MVP still in his prime time at age 38?

Matthew Stafford posted stratospheric numbers last season by leading the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and passing touchdowns (46) while the Rams ranked No. 1 in scoring at 30.5 PPG. He had 12 more TD passes than the No. 2 quarterback on the list, the Lions’ Jared Goff. It’s going to be difficult to produce similar numbers. In fact, Stafford passed for 20 touchdowns in 2024 and 24 touchdowns in 2023, so he actually took a quantum leap in that category. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams combined for 24 touchdowns as two of the most productive wide receivers in the league. The Rams seemed likely to grab a big-play receiver early in the draft, but the team instead picked a backup quarterback (Ty Simpson from Alabama) in the first round and a tight end (Max Klare from Ohio State) in the second round. Stafford’s numbers will probably decline some, although he’s not yet showing signs of old age.

Will a pair of future Hall of Famers lead a dominant defensive line?

As soon as Myles Garrett was acquired in a big deal with Cleveland, reports swirled about Aaron Donald coming out of retirement. The Rams are obviously going all-in to win now, sending three high draft picks, including a 2027 first-rounder, and young defensive end Jared Verse to the Browns for Garrett. While it should be a good trade for both teams, the Rams could benefit from a side effect of the deal. Donald, an eight-time first-team All-Pro defensive lineman, is intrigued by the idea of playing with Garrett, who’s off a 23-sack season. Donald was a leader of the Super Bowl-winning team of 2021 and retired in March 2024 at age 32, but he’s no couch potato and remains in impressive shape. If Donald doesn’t return, the Rams still boast a loaded front with Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Byron Young and Garrett leading the 3-4 scheme.

The defensive secondary desperately needed improvement in the offseason. Sam Darnold shredded the LA defense by passing for 346 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in the NFC title game. The Rams found their answers in Kansas City by signing former Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson in free agency and sending a first-round pick in 2026 to the Chiefs for All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie.

Will the team be fit for a stressful late-season stretch run? 

Opening the season against the 49ers in Australia is challenging, yet international games are becoming routine and overseas travel excuses are irrelevant. While predicting the health of key players is impossible, the Rams have a late bye in Week 11 and need to be near full strength in late November and December when they face a serious stress test. In their final seven games, the Rams face the Packers, Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys, Buccaneers and Seahawks, with the games against Seattle coming in Weeks 16 and 18.

Rams Win Total Pick – Over 11.5

In McVay’s nine seasons, the Rams have made seven playoff appearances, and this has the potential to be his best team. The Garrett and McDuffie additions make the defense elite. The Rams were No. 1 in most power ratings last season and will be motivated after coming up short against Seattle. Eight teams finished with 12 or more wins last season and three of those teams came from the NFC West. The schedule is tough, but the Rams are built for it, so the Super Bowl favorites should at least match their 12-5 record from a year ago.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

It has been two years since the 49ers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brock Purdy had the Chiefs cornered and let them off the hook in a 25-22 overtime loss. Shanahan is regarded as one of the league’s brightest coaches, a reputation that is deserved, but he also has blown three Super Bowls (including one as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator) and one NFC title game with dubious play calls.

Only seven starters remain from the Super Bowl team, and Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have not drafted particularly well, so the championship window is beginning to close. It’s not closed yet, however, and this season will be telling. San Francisco still is a contender despite being the third-best team in the NFC West.

Three Burning Questions for the 2026 Season

Is Christian McCaffrey durable enough to carry the offensive load?

McCaffrey recently turned 30 and has wear-and-tear issues that have led to injuries. After playing only four games in an injury-shortened 2024 season, he returned as strong as ever and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2025 while playing all 17 games. He finished with 311 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns in addition to making 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven TDs. He totaled 2,126 scrimmage yards — the second-highest total in the NFL behind Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson — to power the 49ers to a 12-5 record. The previous season, when McCaffrey and several other starters went down to injuries, the 49ers slumped to 6-11. It’s obvious his durability will be a big key to San Francisco keeping pace with the Rams and Seahawks. In January, when Seattle slaughtered the 49ers 41-6 in the divisional round, McCaffrey was limited to 35 rushing yards on 11 carries.

How much will Brock Purdy benefit from the team’s biggest addition?

The 49ers have moved on from a few of their top receivers, including Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk, who seems destined to be gone soon. Adding 6-foot-5 veteran Mike Evans with a three-year, $60 million free-agent contract should fill some holes. Evans surprisingly left Tampa Bay, where he recorded 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before an injury stopped his streak in 2025. A six-time Pro Bowler, Evans will be a big red-zone target for his new quarterback. Purdy was limited to nine games last season, but when he played, he played well and completed 69.4% of his passes with 20 touchdowns. Mac Jones, who played in 11 games last season, remains Purdy’s backup. Evans, tight end George Kittle, wideout Ricky Pearsall and new wideout Christian Kirk will give Purdy plenty of options aside from McCaffrey. San Francisco made at least one other big offensive move by re-signing tackle Trent Williams.

Do the 49ers still have a championship-level defense?

Three of the seven starters remaining from the Super Bowl team are linebackers Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner. San Francisco ranked as a middle-of-the-pack defense a year ago by allowing 340 yards per game and 21.8 PPG. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh left for the Titans coaching job and was replaced by Raheem Morris, who was fired as Falcons coach. Morris is not taking over an elite defense, but he’s got talent to work with and there is potential. In their 2023 Super Bowl season, the 49ers ranked No. 3 in scoring defense (17.5 PPG).

49ers Win Total Pick – Over 9.5

Whatever happens on September 10 in Australia, where the 49ers will open the season against the Rams, resist overreacting. It’s one game and won’t mean much. Week 1 results can be the most misleading of the year. Remember last year’s Week 1 when the Raiders were road underdogs and beat the Patriots? The winning team finished 3-14 and the loser reached the Super Bowl. When the smoke clears at the end, it’s a good bet that the 49ers, Rams and Seahawks all will have double-digit wins just like last season. The 49ers return from overseas for a three-game homestand against the Dolphins, Cardinals and Broncos. Assuming the health of McCaffrey and other key players, San Francisco should be headed for at least 10 wins. DraftKings is offering 9.5 (Over -145) and 10.5 (Over +125), and the recommendation is to lay the price with the lower win total.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Super Bowl champions are usually subjected to a talent raid. The Seahawks went through the same experience. The headliners: Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired as the Raiders head coach, and running back Kenneth Walker was signed by the Chiefs. Seattle’s team will look similar for the most part, and there’s no wiggle room to take steps back in a division with the Rams and 49ers.

Mike Macdonald, who won a championship at age 38, is 27-10 (including the postseason) in two years and deserves to be ranked among the elite coaches in the league. He spent two different stints on John Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore before getting his big break. He’s no one-hit wonder — more hits are coming.

Three Burning Questions for the 2026 Season

Is quarterback Sam Darnold a one-hit wonder?

Darnold bounced around the league with the Jets, Panthers, 49ers and Vikings before landing in a sweet spot in Seattle last year. It was reported that Tom Brady vetoed the idea of signing Darnold in Las Vegas and instead preferred Geno Smith, who was a bust with the Raiders. Brady is not perfect. Darnold’s career record as a starter was 21-35 prior to going 14-3 in each of the past two years with the Vikings and Seahawks. He imploded at the end of his one season in Minnesota, and he was not exactly a star all season in Seattle while passing for 25 touchdowns with 20 turnovers (14 interceptions, six fumbles). Darnold will be adjusting to working with his fifth different offensive coordinator in five years. After Kubiak left for Las Vegas, Macdonald hired Brian Fleury, who was the run-game coordinator and tight ends coach for the 49ers. Darnold has resurrected his career, but turnovers are always a problem, and now he’s dealing with more OC turnover.

Darnold still will have doubters. He was shaky in the Super Bowl while completing 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown, but he took only one sack and didn’t commit a turnover. It’s fair to say he’s finally developing in the right situation after being stuck in unstable situations in his younger years.

Which offseason moves were most important?

The loss of Walker, who rushed for 135 yards and was voted Super Bowl MVP, is obviously not ideal, but running backs and receivers always come and go. The Seahawks filled the void by picking Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price in the last spot of the first round. Price will play right away and probably split carries with returning back Zach Charbonnet. Seattle signed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a four-year, $168 million extension after Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 receiving yards and added 10 touchdowns. The team also re-signed receiver Rashid Shaheed, linebacker Derick Hall and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Aside from Walker, other key losses were safety Coby Bryant (Bears), corner Riq Woolen (Eagles) and linebacker Boye Mafe (Bengals).

Will Macdonald continue to produce Belichick-type defenses?

Seattle ranked No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense at 17.2 PPG and made Patriots quarterback Drake Maye look bad in the Super Bowl. Macdonald is regarded for his brilliant defensive mind and comparisons to Bill Belichick are valid. The defense ranked third against the run and only experienced major problems when trying to contain the Rams and Matthew Stafford in the teams’ final two matchups. Pete Carroll-coached teams used dominant defenses to reach two Super Bowls and win one, and Macdonald is using a similar blueprint for his Seahawks. While the Rams are making major moves, such as the trade for Myles Garrett, Seattle has a head start with a defensive depth chart led by linebackers Ernest Jones, DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Drake Thomas and linemen Byron Murphy and Leonard Williams.

Seahawks Win Total Pick – Over 10.5

It’s not considered sharp to bet Over the highest win totals in the league, but the top three teams in the NFC West are also three of the top teams in the league. Even if you don’t believe in Darnold as a bet-on quarterback, Macdonald and his defense will make you a believer in this team. The Seahawks are currently favored in 14 games and would be underdogs in road games against the Rams, 49ers and Eagles, but they won’t be big ‘dogs. Seattle won 14 regular-season games last season, while the Rams and 49ers each won 12. The Cardinals are headed for 0-6 in the division again. Maybe it’s square, but lay -115 and expect at least 11 wins.

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